


Partnerships

by hlravensnest_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-31
Updated: 2010-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-16 21:56:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11837814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlravensnest_archivist/pseuds/hlravensnest_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atHL Raven's Nest. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onHL Raven's Nest's collection profile.





	Partnerships

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HL Raven's Nest](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HL_Raven%27s_Nest). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HL Raven's Nest's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hlravensnest/profile).

Partnerships by RSSacchi

  
  
  


_Partnerships_

By RSSacchi 

* * *

Nick is investigating Bernard Pisani's death and on his way to the office of Fabrice Frot, one of the two surviving partners. Amanda is going along for the ride. _The odd thing about the case is Nick's client is Bernard Pisani. He left money in his will for a private investigator to investigate his death. Talk about paranoid._ They arrive in the office and the receptionist calls Mr. Frot. The receptionist hangs up the phone and leads Nick and Amanda to Mr. Frot's door. 

Mr. Frot greets them and Nick introduces himself and Amanda. "You are investigating Bernard's death. Is there any reason to believe it was anything more than an accident?" 

"No specific reason, our client just wants to make sure it was an accident." 

"I suppose I could understand that after what happened to Spiros." 

"Who's Spiros?" 

"He was our silent partner. Two months ago he was flying solo to Corsica but his plane was lost over the Mediterranean." 

"What did they rule as the cause of the crash?" 

"They never found the plane. A bomb is one of several theories, but there was no proof." 

"Did Mr. Pisani or the company have any enemies?" 

"No enemies that I'm aware of. That goes for Spiros as well. Our company has competitors of course but none that would have a motive for murder." 

"Who would profit from their deaths?" 

Mr. Frot bristles as the question. "We would only profit by their deaths if we were to liquidate the company. I didn't help start this business to go out of business." 

"I see." 

Amanda notices a picture on the wall. It's of Mr. Frot and three other men standing beneath the company's sign. 

"Is this picture of the partners?" 

"Yes, it's when we started the company three months ago." 

Amanda has met one of the men before. 

* * *

**VENICE, 1753**

Amanda sits with Gaetano Farussi in a gondola as a gondolier paddles towards a large house when Amanda senses another Immortal. It's a big man standing outside the house. 

"Not to worry, Amanda. That's Franciszek Targowica; we have an understanding." 

Targowica and Gaetano exchange nods as the gondola stops next to the house. Gaetano helps Amanda out of the gondola and takes her to a small house adjacent to the big house. 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

Nick merges into the traffic. "Which one is the Immortal?" 

"Am I getting too predictable?" 

"I know that look." 

"The other surviving partner is the Immortal." 

"Francis Targo." 

"His real original name is Franciszek Targowica." 

"An old boyfriend?" 

"I just saw him once, 250 years ago." 

"So you don't really know anything about him?" 

"Nothing recent." 

"What about not-so-recent?" 

"It would be smart for us to be cautious." 

* * *

Amanda and Nick approach the Targowica's business address. It's a tobacco store. They feel the sensation of another Immortal and halt for a moment before walking into the store. 

"Why are you here?" 

"I'm Nick Wolfe; I take it you know Amanda." 

"Amanda is it? You look vaguely familiar. Have we met?" 

Amanda can tell Tarogowica recognizes her. "That's not important. We're investigating the death of your partner." 

"Are you saying I had something to do with his untimely demise?" 

Nick sidesteps the question. "From what we've learned, Bernard Pisani wasn't the first of your partners to die in an accident." 

"If mortals didn't engage in risky behavior I couldn't make money in this business." 

"So you're saying they both died from accidents?" 

"No one has turned up any evidence otherwise. If you're skilled investigators you should base conclusions on the evidence, yes?" 

"Yes. Do you always hang around with mortals that engage in risky behavior?" 

"You have to admit those that don't are pretty boring." 

Amanda smiles to Nick's apparent displeasure. Nick continues, "Did either Mr. Pisani or your other partner say or act out of the ordinary before their accidents?" 

"No, Bernard did express excitement about going rock climbing. I advised him not to go alone; regretfully, he didn't listen." 

Nick nods. "As you said, mortals do risky things." 

* * *

Amanda steps into Nick's office. 

"Find out anything?" 

"In 1992, Seattle, there was a Zek Wica who partnered with two other people. They all died within six months of each other." 

"All accidents?" 

"Two accidents, one suicide. The company was on the verge of bankruptcy." 

"Embezzle from your own company then fake your own death." 

"After taking out the other partners." 

"In 1986 in Toronto there was a Mr. & Ms Arogo; presumed to have died in a boating accident." 

"Translation: their bodies were never found." 

"Exactly. Their accounts were closed out just before they flew to the Bahamas." 

"You know if you investigate enough crimes you will get a lot of similarities. They're usually just coincidences." 

"You want to give me odds this is a coincidence?" 

"I'm going shopping. I'll see if I can come up with some odds." 

* * *

Amanda returns from shopping; there wasn't much to buy, she only bought one shopping bag full of merchandise. She decides to drop in on Nick before examining her purchases in her suite. She makes her grand entrance to find Natalia Agadzhanova in the office with Nick. 

Natalia turns to Amanda. "Now what shall we do?" 

* * *

**VENICE, 1753**

The door opens and a woman steps inside and stands stoically. 

"Natalia, this is Amanda." 

"Good evening, Amanda." Natalia's voice is monotone. 

"Good evening, Natalia." 

"Now what shall we do?" Natalia takes her sword from an inside pocket in her dress. She sweeps her sword and destroys the crockery on the fireplace mantle. 

"Draw your sword!" 

Amanda draws her sword. 

"You in good time, but now is Gaetano's time. Draw your sword!" 

"Natalia, what is the meaning of this?" 

Natalia answers in a low voice, "Appearances." She cuts a pillow, picks it up with her rapier, and sends it across the room; filling the room with feathers. 

"You dare do this to me!" 

Gaetano hesitantly takes up his sword. Natalia taps his sword with hers. Gaetano readies himself and Natalia goes on the attack but her progression is slow. She locks swords with him and whispers, "This is our chance to end this." She rams the fingers of her free hand into Gaetano's ribs and pushes against him. She picks up the fight's tempo. 

"I'm going to kill you! Fight back." 

Natalia continues her attack. Gaetano makes a couple of thrusts but is almost always on the defensive. Natalia shifts to the wrong side and puts herself in the path of Gaetano's blade. She screams, drops her sword, then falls to her knees. 

"This isn't over! Run, run. This is the chance for both of us. I'll hunt you down and gut you like fish!" 

Natalia collapses. Gaetano runs his fingers across her face. He takes Amanda by the hand and runs out of the house. 

* * *

The gondola drops Amanda and Gaetano off near where Amanda lives. A few centuries ago Amanda would have slapped his face but she has developed more reasonable expectations of men, especially Immortal men. Apparently Natalia needs more time to mature. 

"Let me give you a better understanding of Natalia and me." 

Amanda chuckles inside. She knows she'll now get a feeble excuse for his behavior. 

"My first death was in 1721. A few months later my teacher and I crossed paths with Franciszek Targowica. They had to finish a fight started a century earlier. Natalia came along with Targowica to deal with me. She's a much better fighter than she appeared tonight. When we separated from the others she disarmed me and proposed a partnership. Natalia asked Targowica to keep me as her man. I offered but she was never had an interest in me as a man." 

"So it was just out of the goodness of her heart?" 

"Yes, I could see no other reason. She explicitly told me I could have some discrete indiscretions. As she predicted, Targowica was amused when he would see me with other women." 

"Then explain what happened tonight?" 

"We couldn't just run away from Targowica. Me running from a scorned woman and Natalia pursuing a vendetta that Targowica would accept." 

"Is Targowica that evil?" 

"Yes, he is. Thank you for providing Natalia and me the opportunity to be free of him." 

"Should I cross paths with Natalia?" 

"She would probably thank you also." 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

"He doesn't have any sense of humor." 

"I'm Natalia Agadzhanova, first death 1380." 

"Nick Wolfe, 1999." He turns to Amanda. "What do you mean I don't have a sense of humor?" 

Natalia smiles. "What if the two of us walked off pretending only one would come back?" 

"That's not a joke, that's sick." 

"Well, Amanda and I need to have a chat, girl talk." 

Amanda leads Natalia out of Nick's office and into the empty nightclub. "This is nice. Targowica told me you owned this nightclub." 

"He's been doing some investigating on his own." 

"He always does his homework." 

Amanda leads Natalia to the bar. "Can I get you something?" 

"I'll have whatever you're having." 

Amanda takes two glasses, makes her choice and pours them drinks. 

"Was it a burst of altruism, or does Targowica have an ulterior motive for wanting to see me put your head on a pole?" 

"Nick is a private eye." 

"I figured that when I read the sign on the door." 

"He and I have been investigating a murder, which is apparently a case of multiple murders, with Targowica as the top suspect." 

"So he hopes I'll take you off the game board?" 

"Seems that way. Have you seen Gaetano lately?" 

"The last time I saw him was at his son's funeral, last April. We stay in touch. Who would think a womanizer like Gaetano would stay married to a woman for over 40 years?" 

"Yeah, maybe it's the mortal women's fragility they find attractive." 

"That's as good an explanation as any. My original question still stands, 'Now what shall we do?'" 

Amanda takes a sip of her drink and looks at a far corner. 

Natalia suggests, "Gaetano and I have a system. Whenever it's time for him to move he drops me a line. I go to his town and he leaves. This way if Targowica does some investigating it looks as if I'm still on my vendetta. You leave town and for me it's 'Oh fudge, I missed that man home-wrecker again'." 

Amanda gives a chuckle. "No, I'm not ready to leave Paris." 

"How long have you been here this time around?" 

"Since 1999." 

"It's getting close to that time anyway." 

"Nick isn't going to let Targowica get away with murder." 

"Amanda, it's between them. I don't have to tell you there are other men out there." 

"You know Nick doesn't have a chance." 

"Maybe I could convince him of that." 

"I don't like the idea of Targowica getting away either. There's also a mortal on his hit list." 

"Mortals can get on planes too." 

"Immortals can also get arrested. The problem though is not catching them, but holding them." 

"You're dead set on facing him aren't you?" 

Amanda nods. 

Natalia finishes her drink. "Let's face each other. I know his moves, at least his classic ones." 

"Thank you. I know a place. I'll tell Nick we're going shopping." 

* * *

Amanda and Natalia are in an abandoned rail yard taking a break. 

"What about you, Natalia? Is there a man in your life?" 

"No, it doesn't seem right with mortals. The Immortal men I meet are either womanizers or only interested in what I have above the neck." 

Amanda laughs. "That seems to sum up most of them." 

"Ready for the next round?" 

Amanda nods. They face each other, salute with their swords, and square off. 

Natalia is a defensive fighter. She slides out of the way of Amanda's thrust. Natalia counters with an upward swinging thrust. 

Amanda blocks Natalia's sword. 

Natalia gives a commanding, "Stop." 

"Somehow I don't think Targowica would listen." 

"His move from here is to thrust down." 

Amanda looks down at the tip of Natalia's rapier. "Does he use this often?" 

"I've lost count of how many times I got a blade in the gut." 

"Could we back up two paces so I can try a counter move?" 

"Of course, darling." 

They step back and Natalia repeats her thrust. Amanda blocks then spins around and slaps the back of Natalia's neck with her broadsword before Natalia can block her. 

"You're fast, Amanda." 

"Thank you, darling. You knew what I was going to do." 

"That was how I was planning to counter if it came down to it." 

"Is he faster than you?" 

"Much faster, but I never pulled that move when he used me for practice." 

"You're smart, Natalia." 

"Thank you, darling." 

* * *

Amanda and Nick are in the gym. Nick has his rapier in his hand. Amanda glances at the door. "I'm going to go shopping now. I'll see if I can hurry up Natalia." 

Amanda steps out and walks into her suite. Natalia sits on a couch as she spins her rapier. "I'm going now." 

"You sure about this?" 

"Yes, I'm sure. Natalia, if I don't come back make Nick forget about me." 

"No woman could make a man forget about you, so come back." 

* * *

Amanda, with her sword drawn, walks towards Targowica. 

"Natalia has disappointed me." 

"That psychotic bitch killed my man. Her death was slow and painful." 

"It seems we are both in need of a partner. We'd be taking a step up." 

"I don't think so." 

"Too bad." 

Targowica goes on the attack. He's strong and fast. Amanda sidesteps one attack but Targowica blocks Amanda's counter attack and again goes on the offensive. He makes an upward swinging thrust. Amanda blocks the thrust, spins around and takes Targowica's head. She's convinced he never knew what hit him. Amanda paces as she waits for the Quickening. 

There's a rush of wind, a surge of electricity, then flashes from thousands of places spanning centuries. 

* * *

Amanda makes her way to the gym. Nick and Natalia appear as if they are frozen in time for a moment. Then Nick rushes to Amanda and takes her in his arms. Neither notices Natalia as she slips out the door. 

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Amanda drives Natalia to the airport. Natalia casts her eyes down and gives a slight smile. "You know Amanda, Nick is a real keeper. I tried my best but I couldn't distract him." 

"You distracted him long enough." 

"Just barely, I thought taking a sword in the gut would be good for at least a couple of more hours." 

"His years as a cop, and his years with me, has made him naturally suspicious." 

"Amanda, are you being kind?" 

"I'm being sure not to underestimate you. You'd do well to stop underestimating yourself." 

"You _are_ being kind." 

"I'm not. Notice I'm putting you on a plane out of town." 

**THE END**  
  
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